


Child

by fuwafuwallen



Series: Linked Universe [2]
Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Character Study, Family Bonding, Gen, How Do I Tag, Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kinda, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Papa Time comes to the rescue, Wind is having a rough time, maybe? - Freeform, my first LU fic but not really, this started short what happened
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 05:09:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24588112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fuwafuwallen/pseuds/fuwafuwallen
Summary: Wind was yet again upset at how the group had treated him like a child, but Time comforted him that being a child wasn't always as bad as how it would look.
Relationships: Time & Wind (Linked Universe)
Series: Linked Universe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1822597
Kudos: 90





	Child

**Author's Note:**

> Linked Universe AU goes to @jojo56830 and https://linkeduniverse.tumblr.com/ on Tumblr.  
> The Legend of Zelda series belongs to Nintendo.

If there was anything that the Hero of Winds disliked, it was how he was treated like a child most of the times. 

It goes without saying that he dearly loved his companions, his friends, his families, his _brothers_. He loved the way Warriors would often times wrapped his blue scarf around his neck when he demanded for extra warmth, despite how much the owner was reluctant entrusting his scarf on other person's care. He was just as excited as Hyrule upon leaping lands after lands, something that the Great Sea of his era would not sufficiently provide. He bathed his tongue in the nostalgic feelings each time he helped Wild tasting his cook, to the point he somewhat missed Grandma's homemade soup and Aryll's chimned laughter saying dinner was ready. Sky's presence often comforted him during his various hardships, mainly when he mused of how much he was missing his island, his home, the very place of what shaped him into a man he was now. He never considered a problem with Legend's sarcastic remarks, if anything, he would sometimes go along with them, remembered well each swears and curses his mouth supplied for his pirate's soul much to the group facepalmed. Four was the best adequate companion to ran into whenever he would sometimes feel overwhelmed by the towering group, relief crashed upon him and reassurance drew near where he walked alongside the smallest hero in comforting silence. Twilight acted like a brother to the whole group which made him felt sheltered and protected wholly, and to that, he was beyond thankful. 

And even Time. 

Wind remembered clearly well the very moment he locked eyes with the said hero. Here standing before him was the all-too-familiar legend recited beneath the constant waves of the tide, the ever-so-worshipped hero people expected him to return only for him to vanished to the deepest of the ocean, the very existence responsible to dragged him into the play of destiny; wore the clad-green tunic ( _and he wondered if he was an imposter_ ), chased after the trail of his kidnapped sister ( _the very start before he forced the Goddesses turning him into a hero_ ), and off conquered the Great Sea ( _had he truly become the Hero of Time reborn, living up to all people's expectations?_ ). After all, it was not everyday ones saw legend turned into reality.

While Wind was still intimidated to most of his aspects, he saw nothing but good intentions in every of Time's actions. He was more beyond than the group's unofficial leader, and it somewhat have been silent agreement that the said hero was akin to a fatherly-figure of the party; strong, brave, gentle, albeit somewhat awkward at expressing them, yet wise at heart and truly someone he always look up onto. 

He loved his brothers, he truly did. 

But sometimes─or often times, he didn't bother to count─their show of affections twisted in a form of misunderstanding that he took; frown visible from the result of bottle-up irritation, teeth gritted into a fitful attempt of composing himself from the escape of rage, fists clenched so that he would not have the urge of unleashing harmful actions towards them because _Goddess, they were not at blame nor fault._

The fault here laid on Wind only. 

It was when the group stormed into an enemy's camp─no, scratch that, it was long before that─when they seemed to treated him into that of a powerless child once again. Hylia knew how many times he had voiced out his discomfort of being treated like one and they complied, and now they repeated their actions one that Wind could only mused out a simple _why_ in silence. So, when the group sheltered for a camp and after him helping the others tended their packs, Wind made his way to a nearby log he could find; not too far from the camp to take watches later, but far enough to avoid the rest of the heroes for the time being. 

Warriors was a knight. That much he could understand, the strong urge to give as much protection to his fellow men and troops and _him_. Being the Captain as he was, Wind understood that Warriors borne people's lives upon his shoulders and as long as his limbs were still capable of moving, he'd slain as much enemies as he could to keep their safety, to keep _his_ safety. Wind hissed upon that memory. He was just as capable as everyone else in the battlefield, why won't he let him took decent participations during the battle? He felt nothing but useless backup most of the times. Heck, backup was probably nowhere near than what he did, no, _not at all_.

Hyrule was as just as excited as he was during their travels, but sometimes there's concern on the other hero's face; afraid of endangering him, for him to be lost on the wild and nature, oh how small he was compared to the vastness across, and the list would continue. Wind wished to snap at his spot; said the one who encountered troubles on the road, said the one who often got lost with Wild on nature, said the one _who doesn't even use a damn map_! Wind was far better; he got companion for his travel, he navigate all the way across the Great Sea and conquering the ocean which marked his title as a Sailor and a Pirate. Wind frowned yet again at the irritation. 

Wild was no better in reducing his annoyance either. Not because he didn't let Wind on getting near his pot and attempted to cook a dinner, no, he very much fond of the Champion's cookings and all. It was how he was in almost identical nature that of Warriors, seemingly to gave his all to let the monsters nowhere of touching Wind's swinging sword. Angry he was of course, for one to have the nerve of protecting him when he knew _damn much_ how self-sacrificial this man was. Just how little can he go in this humiliation? 

Sky was, to his credit, gave him mercy at least, but that doesn't mean how he didn't missed his chance to clenched his fists at every of his words and reminders. Sky's tender voice was nowhere near lectures nor prohibitions, but still enough for Wind to sense the overprotective nature clad within his breeze. Perhaps it has something to do as the first Chosen to descendants relationship things, but if that'd be the reason, then more reasons for him to acknowledge Wind as a capable hero as everyone else in the group. He had confronted many urgencies and obstacles along his adventures, sure that got him reckless and often times at the verge of death's door, nevertheless he was capable of proving himself just as worthy in his skills and courages. So why can't he now? Does that have to do with how he pieced together the Triforce and forced the Goddesses to play him a hero, enough that his─their─first predecessor refused to acknowledge him as the fellow wielder of the Hero's Spirit? At this point, Wind let go of his knuckled palms.

His following thoughts seemed to just spiralled worse. Wind wasn't normally offended at Legend's barks, but maybe somewhere in his scoffs and scorns slipped several complaints regarding Wind, and oh how he didn't want to put list of his spats because Wind knew better than anyone already. It would just be beyond right for their most seasoned hero, the Veteran, to pointed out and calculated his wrongdoings, and at this point he convinced Wind's earlier thought that he was nothing but an _imposter_. 

Thinking about Four just made him felt crushed even more. They stood the same way albeit with Wind a little taller than the multicolored-clad hero, and ones could judge they looked like around the same age despite Wind was younger, the youngest of them all. Four made him felt what a companion was once again, but now that he thought about it, he was better. _Four_ was better, and Wind seemed to be lacking behind. Four was the smallest of them all, but seemed so capable of proving himself worthy of skills with the same stealth and fast-moving ability as his. Something that Wind wouldn't achieve, something that he _couldn't_ due to everyone treating him like a child. Why was he the only one treated as one when Four was just as child and small and _young_ as he was? 

Leaving the question unanswered behind, his mind traced to Twilight. With imitating dignity as his mentor, while he did not particularly say much, he's keeping this stern look as if Wind was about to do something stupid. What was he, Wild? There is nothing stupid in his actions and he wasn't a child who constantly needed to be looked anymore, for Goddesses' sake. The anger boiled much, _too much_ , probably could even rivaled Twilight's low growls if he wanted to. But he had no energy left to spat, not with Twilight's threatening aura, not with how it showed him how childish he was, not when his very mind decided to make a final stop to Time.

Time. The Hero of Time. The very embodiment of who he was supposed to become. He was the Hero of Time reborn, or so what Ganondorf had said in their battles, but Wind wanted nothing but laughed at that undeserving title. If what those he had listed in his negative thoughts were worse, then thinking of the endless amount of possibility of what Time thought regarding him was the worst scenario ever. Out of anyone, Wind would dare to bet every of his rupees that Time was the most disappointed of him, why, Wind was his direct successor and yet he ruined everything; never be good enough, never be perfect enough, and never be mature enough for everything and beyond. 

_So much of a hero_ , he was. 

As if on cue, he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder of what seemed to came from a solid arm. Whoever they were, he felt pathetic for being slightly stiffened and winced at the contact despite the reassuring squeeze they tried to deliver in the touch. At first, Wind wanted simply to ignore, but as the person made their move to sit beside him, he couldn't help but to turned his head and looked up at them. 

Oh. _Oh Goddess._

In front of him was Time himself, face ever so frowned in concern, and yet Wind failed to study that lingering emotion and replaced with a delusional disappointed expression as what he had expected, as what he had hoped perhaps. It took every amount of strength for him not to curse, not to look miserably ashamed of himself for sputtering that thought out loud enough to invite the oldest hero's attention. He screwed up, even more _damn_ _screwed_ when he did nothing but wide-eyed at the man, lips met and parted as if invicible substance dammed his flow of words, and he could feel his breathe being slipped under it, too. In between his surprised gasps, his focus of sights were both at him and yet anywhere else entirely, as if couldn't get a grip of what he was seeing, of how he wished he hadn't confronted the man right here, right _now_. 

“Wind?” Time called, voice unwavered like a calm wave he was. The oldest hero was never as good as Sky at giving comfort to his companion's problems, even worse at showing his worrisome compared that of Hyrule. But he did care, an honest one at that, and would give his all in curing whatever may distressed them with solutions he could possibly think of. Hence, his concern were only growing seeing Wind gave no hint to respond just yet. “Wind, what's wrong?”

The hero in question was in no better situation at handling such question; how could he provide answers when he didn't know what has wronged him, what made _them_ wronged him? He couldn't just possibly unleash all of his anger regarding their treatments towards him, they never deserve that. But he couldn't just sat still or worse, building up a lie because he knew all too well how Time could easily read him like an open book, as if Wind was a map and let the other hero navigate through him and scavenge all the lies he had detected. 

Time never forced him to answer. The heroes all had secrets that they have given every rights to concealed deep from others, and Time would respected Wind's decision at brushing off the question and he wouldn't feel offended at all. Wind was all free to refuse and then silence and that's that, and it would be Time's duty to murmured encouraging words to lessen whatever burden the youngest hero currently feel. But despite the freedom, Time knew Wind was never the one who hide his emotions. He was too good, very honest, and beyond pure for that. 

“Why do you guys keep treating me like a child?” 

And Time had never been so unprepared at the question. “I─”

“Why do you guys keep treating me like a child?” Wind repeated, voice growing constant louder. “Is it because I am the youngest of the group enough to be viewed as a child? Is it because I am small that I am unable to defend myself from stronger and taller foe? Well, Four was the smallest, and you guys never complain! I am just as capable as taking care of myself as the rest of you! I have no need for your constant protection because I can fight, too! I've faced many _damn_ troubles during my adventures and I survived at that! Sure, I can go reckless and you probably dislike that but that doesn't mean I am having less participation in the battle! I won't become a hero and saved my sister if I don't know all the _damn_ risks and consequences! I am just as prepared at that! Heck, I've even fought and seen too many things and have experienced childhood at my age should ever have!” 

“Wind...” 

“Or is it because I am never meant to be a hero? I pieced the Triforce together instead of being chosen by it and lived to these as my consequences? I don't belong here and carried none of the Spirit and that's why you guys never let me fight, right?” 

“Wind, please.” 

“So much for being a hero, so much for being _you_. They said I'm you, I'm the Hero of Time reborn, but I feel nothing like it at all! I tried to perfected everything, live up to their expectations, and not to act like my own! I feel like an imposter! And now I'm just disappointing you even more! I'm burdening you even more! I am never as good enough as you because I am _damn_ small and young and always act like a child!” Wind broke into a final cry, buried his face under his palms, “I just wanted to be useful and fight alongside you all!”

Unbearable by the sight, Time said nothing more and lunged forward to embraced the youngest into tight hug. Wind seemed to continue rambling but it all came muffled beneath Time's chest. Each time the Sailor produced sobs and how he could feel the younger hero's grip clawed deep into his collarbone tunic, Time's heart shattered. For ones emotion to become so bottled up and exploded like this, he felt churning in his stomach and how guilt climbed up his throat, pounded loudly in his chest. His face tried its own best in managing his composure─Time wouldn't allow for himself to break down, not when Wind had already experienced this badly─but all came vain and replaced by increasing frown. His hand reached out and landed a delicate pat atop the Sailor's shrunken head, then began caressed and combed his blonde hair gently. Time seemed to murmur shushes and reassuring words in attempt to calm the other hero down, which to his fortunate, Wind's shoulders began slumped and seemed to be at little ease. Despite the tense still remains, he relaxed still and showed no sign of escaping. 

“Wind,” Time cracked open his lips in gentle demeanor. “You are just as much as everyone else here. You belong here, your own matter. You just being you and show your weakness around is fine. You are just as enough as you are is fine, you never ashamed us the slightest bit, Wind.” 

By the time Wind let go of their embrace, he seemed wanted to utter disagreement before Time interjected. “I'm sorry if their doings made you uncomfortable, but they meant no harm. They cared about you, they never meant to view you as a child.” 

“But that doesn't mean I keep being babied around,” Wind attempted to hiss out in anger, but exhaustion made the result came as simple huff in a muffled pouts. “I just wanted to help...” 

Time sighed. In a way, he knew the Sailor never wanted to be pitied, but in a sense, his heart ached for everything of him. Here, according to his story just now, Wind seemed to be his descendant from another timeline branch aside from Twilight. He still quite pondered for a moment, unsure how to react to the revealed history of his. But if anything, it was guilt pierced through him. Just imagining the fact that Wind, _tiny_ Wind, carried his fate, _oh his terrible fate_ , already made his heart completely dropped, let alone the journey he went through to carry his legacy. He never questioned of what had become the Great Sea during the visit to Wind's Hyrule, not when Wind blessed with happiness he deserved when showing the heroes around the Outset Island, but it surely had something to do with him, with his disappearance of going back in time, with what he let Wind carried the burden, _his whole burden_ , on those small shoulders and _Goddess, how very small and unprepared those was_. 

Wind didn't deserve this, and it was Time's fault.

He pitied Wind, and he had betrayed his own words at how he viewed him as a child because he did. Time began his journey when he was around ten. If all the tale was true, he couldn't bear the thought of when Wind had started his own as well. Twilight departed around teenager, a much better choice than the age he was chosen for. But if Wind met with the same age as his, he swore to add another list to curse upon the Goddesses. No one should deserve to experienced twisted fate that young. 

“I was like you, way back before,” Time hummed, let go of his grip from Wind's shoulders and palms dangled between the gap of the side of his hips, facing forward the forest. “I settled on my journey when I was very young, too.” 

Time began recited his own tale albeit not so much detail. He explored the part when he was too young, however not daring to mention his exact age, when the journey began, faced hardships here and there, with as much and many recklessness as Wind's. If what Wind shared was his perfect, dignified, and ever so worshipped tale of an old legend, then Time pieced the narration from his version; his imperfect, his lack of experiences, and ever so close to failed mission. He wished to show Wind that it was perfectly fine not to act tough all the times, it was in his free will to act like himself without being bound by expectations and judgement around, and there was nothing wrong in being exposed in childish manner because Wind deserved that much childhood with his sister. 

_ Unlike him.  _

_Unlike how she sent him back to his childhood only for him to tasted the apocalyptic world._

_ Unlike him with the three days loop.  _

_ Unlike him with the repeating song.  _

_Unlike him with the crashing moon._

Part of him also wished to show Wind that the boy didn't deserve to experienced twisted fate, _his fate_ , that young.

_No hero should deserve to experience fate that young._

Wind seemed to catch quick on this however. “Thanks, old man,” his lips morphed into that of a thin smile visible. “But it isn't your fault, too, you know? I set out to save Aryll, so it was kind of personal quest. I don't care how early and unprepared my age was, if Aryll is in danger, then so be it. Besides, managed to finished off that man for good there, so revenge accomplished.” 

They both chuckled at hearing that, but not too long before silence took over the atmosphere again. It was less tense and more comfortable this time, but the slight sorrow lingered still. 

The two figures sat there, watching the darkened forest forward. The sun had long down and the moon already took over the sky, illuminating the landscape with dim light. Somewhere along the trace of silence, the breeze performed small orchestra with the rhythmical chirping sound of crickets. Somewhere on their back, the creaking sound of woods burnt within the campfire also joined the ensemble of nature.

Wind looked over the peaceful camp from his position. It had been several minutes─perhaps hours, he lost track of time─since the absence of their two members, but none seemed to go and look out for them, deemed safe enough for them to talk in privacy and not bothering to probe into their matters. Wind could feel their eyes glanced over him, but a second later they disappeared as if they were never there to begin with. Most of his problems has been settled thanks to Time, but each time he stared at his brothers from distance, the thoughts would swim back to the depth of his mind. Wind could only sighed in result. 

“Wind,” Time, who took notice of the boy's sullen mood immediately, called out once again. As Wind fixated his focus on the old man, he noticed the smile in his face much to his confusion. “Do you realize it was not only you who act childish most of the times?” 

At this, Wind's confusion grew even more. “What do you mean?” 

Time amused a chuckle. “Take a guess.”

And he said nothing, leaving Wind in never-ending confusion. He was not really in the mood for riddles, but he complied anyway. While the Hero of Winds was unlike Warriors who best at strategizing plans and thus voluntereed to become the group's tactician, or Legend who seemed to catch quick on everything, he was well-known for his curiosity and hunger to scavenge deep within secrets after secrets, knowledges after knowledges. His silence indicated nowhere near of his surrender, and Time seemed to take a hint as well. Wind supplied his mind once again, while continue to stare at his faraway heroes in hope to relive some memories of them. Time offered silent support. 

Now that Wind took a better look at different point of view, they do have several childish traits with them. And as he drowned deeper into this new concept, all the loathesome comments slowly disappeared. 

He'd often being playful around Warriors sure, but he thought of nothing more, brushed them off as it was the Captain's personality, after all. But turned out far greater than that. If one hadn't known Warriors long enough, ones would outright judged him as serious and stern-looking knight who cared nothing but battlefield and war, a captain ever so strict to his troops that could deliver death sentence anytime he want, the genius and gifted tactician who held no interest in cheap jokes and found his amusement only in playing chess or arranging stategy for the next war. Wind smiled, _he was childish as well_. Such as when he embraced his scarf so tight whenever anyone, mainly Legend, tried to took it when he was caught off guard, whining and complaining for several days straight each time he lost a bet and his rupees were all consumed by snarky Legend, always attempted a flirt with every passing woman and hid beneath his scarf and Hyrule when another woman caught into his actions. Or when he was a man in fashion distress? _Yeah, that too_ , Wind silently marked. 

Hyrule considered himself a simple man, but that didn't mean his humble escaped his childish manner. When they traveled to Wild's Hyrule, he grew into several stages of complains. Even with his endless spirit of adventure, Hyrule sometimes complained just how wild and vast Wild's Hyrule was. Then, when he was given the map through Wild's Sheikah Slate, he whined at how he wasn't accustomed to a map and just how weird Wild's device was. Hyrule complied however, only to cursed himself how he grabbed the slate upside down. And even after he was in the right direction to trudged along the map, he couldn't read and ofted strayed off path. Wind sometimes heard Hyrule mumbled something about the potion being so gross despite him being the party's medic and should be familiar already with that. Wind laughed.

Wild was more than just quiet survivalist and amnesiac hero. During that one cooking moment, Wind caught the sight of when the long-haired hero threw the ingredients with brutal force that flipped the cooking pot and sent the herbs and meats bounced back onto his face─a grimaced sight despite his funny recklessness, but the hero laughed and never mind much. The times when Wild taught Wind how to shield surf and rode a bear only for them to rolled down the hill in resounding laughter. Whenever the heroes finished a raid, Wild would sheepishly approached Four with snapped weapons in hands much to the Smithy's wrath. Or peaceful time when Wild's hair grew too long that he often got stuck at branches which Twilight stormed to the rescue, and whined more saying that he swore an oath not to cut his hair. _Wild was, well, wild and childish_. And Wind dared he could make the whole book of the Champion's childishness. 

Sky was the exemplary of humbleness and the hero everyone respected. He was guarded and relaxed at the same time, making the group believed that he was too perfect for call of mischief and the like, but they were wrong. For a Chosen such as himself, Sky was a fond of sleep and was considered a heavy napper amongst them all. He could fall asleep anytime and anywhere beyond everyone's comprehension, but no one bothered much. Sky seemed to be very playful in his dream that he often hugged other heroes' to become his bolster, including Wind being one of his victims. Wind giggled, remembered the ticklish sensation. _He was somewhat childish, too._

It wasn't as hard to detect Legend childishness as everyone might have imagined. Sure, to his credit, he managed to hide well enough beneath that sassy attitude of his, but those personality was more than enough to lure the puerility of his. Legend was beyond pissed at the remark of _Pantless Hero_ everyone gave at him to the point of barked and groaned and _swore_ whenever someone tried to make him wore one. Not only that, he seemed to be childish enough to let his composure went down at several times when he lose to a bet with Warriors, or when his sarcasm being counterattacked by the said hero. Wind often caught up in their duo, so he was pretty sure he could make more mental notes regarding the Veteran's actions more.

Without him splitting individually, Four wasn't much to witness, but Wind sometimes sensed him furiously complained about Wild and his constant habit of breaking weapons everyday, even when he had tried to forge him a weapon of his own creation, that Four was confident and _swore_ in his very four souls it has decent durability and won't break anymore, only to witness them shattered _horribly_ into pieces by the very hands of wild child. And he would complained and rambled for all days long, his eyes glowed burning blue as he did that. And there's this one moment when he was too short to brought himself over certain height and had to be carried by either Warriors or Sky as he embarassingly pouted behind their back. Wind took a fail notice this at first, and he wasn't the only one who's being babied. 

Twilight always maintaining the group's chaos in order, and he sometimes would get caught up in their absurd situation. The one when he declared himself he would grow grey hair in his adolescent invited a chuckle to Wind's mouth, and on rare moment before his sleep, he eavesdropped Twilight complaining Wild's wild behaviour to Time, once again declaring his hair to turned gray. _He did yodeling, too._

Wind had failed to noticed these all, and he felt ashamed of himself for accusing his brothers with nasty comments earlier. Wind wasn't alone in this, and he learned that being childish isn't about showing weakness, it's about showing trustworthy bonds and feeling relaxed at each other. Wind finally understood what Time had taught him, but before he smiled in understanding, his countenance frowned as finding himself in that same confusion there was at the beginning. 

He realized one thing: Time was the only exception in this. 

“Even you?” Wind curiously asked. 

“Even me, Wind,” in which Time replied almost immediately, his smile had yet wavered as he agreed in reassuring nod. “Adults are children, too, because in every adult's heart, there is a child's life that will stay there for eternity.” 

Wind seemed content with the old man's answer. He shot him hist most brimming smile as he gave a quick thank you, before hopped down the log and approached the camp. Time followed behind him. 

_ And he laughed at how fitting it was. _

**Author's Note:**

> aka my attempt coming back to write again™
> 
> but I am having fun writing the boys at least!


End file.
